


The Reward

by THEStares



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Western, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Dirty Talk, Domestic, Drama & Romance, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Guns, M/M, Minor Character Death, Oral Sex, Other, Romance, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:29:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28030056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/THEStares/pseuds/THEStares
Summary: The Bounty hunter Park Chanyeol no longer saw any sense in his own way of living after losing one of the people he loved most. Before leaving the "profession", he ended up making an exception for a request made by a banker friend, swearing to himself that it would be the last time he would hunt someone.However, Chanyeol would not only have to capture the famous bank robber, Byun Baekhyun, known as Faceless, but he should also make sure that no other hunters stole from him what would become his greatest reward.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Oh Sehun, Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Zhang Yi Xing | Lay
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	The Reward

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I had that idea with me for a year before I tried to write. Before, I had a little difficulty because I was inspired by a context that I knew little about besides the films. I'm talking about the context of the western, so I took the liberty of creating an alternative universe that would give me freedom to create my follies. Hope you like it! English is not my mother tongue, so this was an interesting challenge, please have a little patience and feel free to share your opinions. BEFORE I FORGET: THERE IS A GUIDE MANUAL ABOUT THIS UNIVERSE, if you can read it, I would love to. It will make reading a lot easier.  
> The link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XY4tV8CYF8wRMH1u9pDkRhgzJYpxd01pbQHZ7gWgxYI/edit

Ho voglia di sentire fra Le dita (I want to feel between my fingers)  
Il legno caldo di un aratro (The heat of a plow’s wood)  
Le spighe pungenti del grano (The stinging ears of wheat)  
I capelli morbidi della mia donna (And my wife's soft hair)  
Ma non posso, perchè devo uccidere. (But I can't because I must kill)

Ho voglia di guardare negli occhi La gente (I want to look people in the eye)  
Di vederla sorridere (To see them smile)  
Stringere La mano a tutti (Shake hands with everyone)  
E di sentirmela stringere (And the feeling of having my hand tight)  
Ma non posso, perchè devo uccidere.( But I can't because I must kill)

Le colline del sud mi aspettano (The columns in the south await me)  
Vicino degli alberi, piangono (The branches of the tree bloom)  
La primavera ritorna (The spring returns)  
Non hò tempo per morire. (I don't have time to die)

In queste cose il senso del vero (In all these things is the sense of truth)  
È da parlare ma la voce mi vieno in meno. (And speaking of them my voice is missing)

(All' Ombra Di Una Colt/1965), de Giovanni Grimaldi. Song by Nico Fidenco.

Tallet - November 4, 1780

Chanyeol dusted his clothes, and entered the bar of the city he used to frequent most, Old Hay was a mandatory stop whenever he completed his plans and received his money in Town, the capital of Landgruva. It was such a small and insignificant city that it was barely on the map. In fact, only the capital of Tallet was on the map, the city of Rege. Even though people knew his fame, they were all used to his figure enough to not care. So he just went through the wooden doors, walking directly to the drinks stand.

He was in no mood for gambling.

Charles Aya was wiping a glass when he saw him, smiling weakly and walking towards him, knowing exactly what he wanted, even though he hadn't said a word. They had been known for a long time, Charles must have been in his fifties, and Chanyeol held him in high regard; he was one of the people he trusted most. Perhaps the only one. Since becoming a bounty hunter, Chanyeol ended up leaving his parents behind, he didn't want to involve them in his problems. That had been the best decision of his life, he could see it clearly at that moment.

"You spent a lot of time outside." Charles said, putting the cheap wine into a plain glass. "People were starting to think you were gone for good."

Chanyeol took the drink and turned the glass over, feeling the liquid come hot.

"I didn't leave, I just had some things hanging around."

"How many?"

The boy knew well what the bartender was talking about.

"This time, just one."一 But it was worth a thousand.

"One?" Charles asked surprised and at the same time curious. "Young boy, so you will end up having your hunting limited. I heard that Lay's been capturing five at once, that's all they say, even Jon killer went along. And you know that worse than him is only the Quick shot and the Faceless."

Chanyeol felt his head hurt.

"I don't care, everyone can go to hell."

Charles suddenly seemed to be aware of his own words and felt nervousness take over.

"But you are still the best, without a doubt. Everyone is afraid of you."

Chanyeol looked up from his own glass.

"And you, Charles? Do you fear me?"

The man watched him in disbelief.

"Of course, yes." stated with conviction.

"It's interesting that you tell me that, you know?" Chanyeol spoke softly, circling the glass cup with his index finger. "I heard that certain information reached a specific killer. Curious that he received the exact information from where Grace was, mainly, at the exact moment I was away."

"Old Hay is small, you know." Charles snapped, unable to hide his nervousness under the hunter's scrutiny. "Anyone ..."

Chanyeol closed his eyes, placing his left hand discreetly on the pistol in his holster when Charles leaned a little more over the frame.

"If you have a brain, take your hand off that shotgun right now.", sentenced.

"How?" his old friend looked mortified, walking away from the doorway with empty hands.

"As you said yourself, Old Hay is small, and I still have some people loyal to me out there. Still, I admire your courage, not just anyone who dares to stab me in the back like you did." Chanyeol's voice didn't carry any hurt, he had swallowed it whole until he got there.

He took the revolver out of its holster, without looking away from Charles.

"Think carefully, Chanyeol, if you shoot…"

The man's action was too quick for anyone at the bar to have time to understand, as Chanyeol had already run his hand over the gun, squeezing the trigger and shooting Charles in the chest as he spoke. The impact knocked him over the shelves with drinks, making a crash across the bar. Adam, the other barman and friend of Charles's, looked at Chanyeol standing, pouring more drink into his glass as if nothing had happened, in absolute shock.

"By God! Park, have you become an outlaw by shooting innocent people? What the fuck happened here?" He exclaimed, dropping the deck of cards he handed out on the table. The other men present were watching the scene closely.

Chanyeol took another aim over the jamb, and shot Charles's body again on the floor.

"Just to make sure.", announced with irony.

"Chanyeol, Charles is ... I mean, he was your friend. Can you explain?" Adam questioned approaching the other.

Chanyeol went around, passed Adam, indifferent to the questioning, passing by the disbelieving faces, who was used to seeing where he was after killing someone, and entered the small bar, stepping on the broken glass and the drinks scattered on the floor, with his boots. He looked at Charles's pale skin and open blue eyes, lifeless. Deep down I felt for how things had gone, but I felt even more that I had even considered trusting a man like that. Chanyeol bent down and picked up the dead man's thin body, tossing it over his shoulders with ease.

"Chanyeol…", Adam tried again and finally the man, who claimed to be “The hand of death” looked at him, under the brim of his black hat.

"Adam, what am I?"

The man was afraid to look into those icy eyes.

"A bounty hunter."

Chanyeol took a folded paper from his pocket and tossed it at Adam's feet.

" This man was wanted dead or alive by Pourt State for stealing more than fifty bags of rice, and by Ocean Eyes State for killing five men, one of them the former mayor of Yorino." Chanyeol was forced to say while walking out the door.

"I didn't know you would have the courage to kill a friend for a reward."

Chanyeol well knew that this was just an alibi, it had cost him a lot to find something that could kill him freely. Even so, he stopped at the entrance to the bar.

" “The hand of Death” has no friends. Get in line, because one day I can come to get you too, Adam. And good luck with the bar.", he said "You will need to renovate the shelves."  
Chanyeol left listening to be cursed by all possible names, while carrying Charles's dead body on his shoulders. Then he tied the body to the saddle attached to his horse, riding immediately afterwards.  
His revenge was done. That was what he thought with some relief.

But he had killed his only friend and lost the woman he loved in the process.

➳➳➳

The town closest to Old Hay was a small agglomeration that was not even a city, in the strictest sense of the word. Even so, it had some houses and a small restaurant, made of wooden planks; their base was almost rotten. Chanyeol decided to make a brief stop to provide something to eat and stretch his legs.

The long journey on the horse's saddle had begun to give him immense pain in his spine. I felt that I was gradually getting out of shape. Or too worn out, he added in his thoughts. He was still in his thirty-two years, he was considered a young man, but he was reaching old age even for a gunslinger or a bounty hunter.

He entered the small restaurant, which didn't even have a door, and found himself in a small oven made of cement. The room smelled like baked beans, and his stomach growled loudly as a natural reaction. He had not eaten at Old Hay, and had brought only a small piece of stale bread with him. He also barely looked forward to taking a bath, the scorching sun made him sweat, especially under all the cream-colored cape he wore over his clothes, to protect him from the sun in his arms and the sand gusts of the places where passed.

In the restaurant, there was only a table with two chairs, and a woman who stirred the beans by the fire. She wore humble and ragged garments and had tired features, yet her reddish skin and fine features did not deny her native origin. That must have been a strong woman. For native people living in Tallet was either crazy or stupid. When Chanyeol saw the worried face turn to the gentleman in his early fifties, with a thin beard and plump body, he understood that the situation was about love. Even for love, Tallet was not the best environment for lovers.

"Good afternoon." The man said, pronouncing the consonants with emphasis. Now, he was a legitimate citizen of Ocean Eyes. Chanyeol still had the chills to remember that state. He vowed never to set foot there again.

"Good afternoon, sir." Chanyeol replied, heading towards the table, almost moaning in contentment as he stretched his legs, relaxing on the chair. The whole body ached. As much as they suspected, it was not made of iron." I'd like a plate of beans, and a drink, if you have one."

The man nodded, and took a bottle of white wine. Chanyeol just saw the label and knew where it came from. It was exactly the type I needed: too much alcohol, too little flavor. To awaken the body and soften the mind.

"You’re very well dressed. What are you looking for in these bands?" He asked while pouring a good content of the drink into a glass, dragging it towards the hunter.

"What I was looking for I already found." Chanyeol commented airily.

"Got it." You took a brief look out the window, where the horse was tied to the trunk, coming across Charles's body next to the horse. But he seemed to be used to situations similar to that."I'll get your beans, just a moment."

The man placed the entire skillet in front of Chanyeol with a plate beside it.

"If you want to eat everything, you can too. We'll just charge a little extra, you look hungry."

Chanyeol agreed with a nod. His hands were shaking with hunger, and he ate so fast that he lost his breath between chews. At that moment, he put all the labels and elegance in his tail. His entire life never had any luxury, he never knew what a decent outfit was - until he killed a thief by mistake, while he tried to steal his mother with a wooden blow to the head and get paid for it -. Since then, the scenarios Chanyeol saw have been reduced to poverty, oppression, money and blood at the expense of all this. Tallet was not only "The State Misery", it was also hell on Earth.

The only time Chanyeol felt anything different was when he met the daughter of the vicar of Bellcoast, the capital of Tallet ... Grace. Damn Charles, he knew that woman was everything to him. Grace was a kind woman, who didn't mind getting involved with a rotten man like him, and showed him that maybe they could have a different life elsewhere. She was different. Damn it. Chanyeol felt the bile rise in his throat. He wanted to cry. She did not deserve to have died in such a cruel way. He took a deep breath and drank the wine again. He wanted to cry, but most of all, He wanted to forget the scene of seeing her in the little hut they used to meet, with the blood spilled on her clothes, her body stretched out on the floor, and her blond hair dyed red.

"Damn you." He whispered softly.一 "Everyone. Damn you."

Chanyeol finished his meal, still had beans in the pan when he got up from the table.

"If you have bread, I would like to take some.", announced.一 "I have some daxs for them."

The woman watched him curiously and nodded, going to separate the loaves, and placing them inside a cloth bag while her husband took the money from Chanyeol.

"Use this to buy supplies." The hunter advised, delivering fifty daxs, enough to supply for a month. "The next month enters the driest period of the year. Get ready by then."

"One day I will be able to tell my grandchildren that I met the hero of Tallet."一 The man smiled, his face wrinkled by time and difficulty.

Chanyeol gave a weak, almost disgusted smile.

"You must be mistaking me for someone else."

She returned another smile.

"Have a nice trip, Mr. Park."

So he really knew who he was. Why… Chanyeol was a murderer, even if legally, he was still a murderer, he thought as he untied the horse from the trunk. Even so, he couldn't help laughing when he mounted his cell. Those people had a strange sense for what they considered a hero. But in the face of… everything, it was not surprising.

"It would be a pity if this “hero” gave up on the service itself." Chanyeol said out loud, talking to the deceased Charles. "To think that I lived long enough to hear this kind of nonsense. I thought this was going to be your life: living a lot and doing little, just scratching the balls, while I was going to die again. What a great irony. Do you agree?" 

Chanyeol knew he was a little drunk to talk to a dead man, after a while, he just focused on getting to dawn in the neighboring city, wanted to get paid and start a new life.

➳➳➳

When he arrived in Westland, the sun was beginning to set, painting the city's sandy floor an orange tone. The city was arranged like most cities in Tallet; a large main street, where the shopping center was located, a church, almost always, and a police station. By the time, the latter should be almost closing, giving way to the functioning of the bar, the restaurant and the brothel. There was no competition in small towns. If there was still a barber shop, you would have to raise your hands to the sky.

Chanyeol felt his skin was dirty more than ever, and his lower back was complaining about coming without another pause. His horse, the Voracious, was also tired of carrying two people the whole time. The hunter stroked the mane of the animal, as if to apologize for demanding so much of it. The streets were almost empty, but he could feel his eyes on him, and he noticed the cracks in the half-open windows, attentive to any outsider, especially one who carried a body on his mount. As soon as he stopped in front of the police station, he got off his horse, without bothering to tie Voracious, he was in a hurry and his horse was smarter than most men, and more loyal as well.

Chanyeol did not bother to beat around the bush, entering the place.

"Good afternoon." announced to the familiar figure. The police station without any refinement, at best, was a little dark and quite dusty. The only person responsible for its maintenance was Sheriff Kim Minseok, or as most people called him, Kim. That he smoked a cigar and watched Chanyeol with analytical eyes.

"Good night.", corrected in an acid tone. "What do I owe for the disgust of looking at that filthy face of yours at this time of day?"

"The usual." Chanyeol shrugged, sitting on the chair opposite Kim's.

"Talbot." He shouted.

A thin and apparently young boy appeared out of the corridor that gave access to the cells.

"There's a body out there, make sure you hit one of these guys." Commanded, throwing a stack of papers; tied with a worn strip of fabric for the boy, who confirmed nervous, risking a brief look at Chanyeol. "Then call Mr. Frank, to try to bury this body soon." "You are in trouble in any situation.一 The sheriff said when the boy left.

"You're right. But I will stop."

Minseok gave a nasal laugh.

"If you really wanted to, you had stopped long ago."

"How do you?" Chanyeol questioned.

The other closed his eyes, taking the cigar out of his mouth.

"Listen, at least I didn't leave mom and dad."

"I had my reasons for doing what I did." Chanyeol's eyes became slightly cloudy. "The latter was for personal reasons." explained, taking the cigar from the sheriff's hands. "After I hand over my money, I go to Landgruva, take the money I have accumulated since I was eighteen. I want to buy a little piece of land for me in Pourt, maybe I'll take mom and dad along."

Kim Minseok nodded.

"Then just spend the night."

"Exactly." 一 Chanyeol gave the first smile since entering there. "So I wondered if my brother would have a space for me at his home, to enjoy our little family gathering."

"Half brother, Park. Half brother."

"Stop being grouchy, we haven't seen each other in five years." He observed him and pointed out: "You have gained weight."

"Shut the fuck up or I won't lend you the soap." 一 Kim Minseok grunted, wanting to punch Chanyeol, even if he received a punch that could break him in two. The brother had even become an imposing figure, not only because of  
his height, but because of the almost bestial aura that surrounded him. He still remembered when Chanyeol cried for anything, the face before him seemed to have forgotten how to do it. However, he had heard some rumors, from people he used to consult when he wanted to know his brother's whereabouts, about a woman. Anyway, I didn't have the courage to ask. He knew that the other was already leading a complicated enough life. They would have other occasions to inquire. The life of a hunter, most often started with death and ended with it.

However, his brother was almost invincible as long as he had a gun at his disposal. He had also listened to his achievements during those years.

"I heard you adopted a child, Minseok." Chanyeol revealed. Apparently, he was not the only one who had sought information, and the realization gave his heart a comfort.

"Amelie." confirmed. "Daughter of a peasant woman here who ended up killed by a foreign farmer. The girl was eight years old at the time, and no one came after her at that time, her grandparents also said they didn't want her. .. explained.

"How old is she now?"

"Twelve." Kim Minseok said with a smile.

At that moment, the boy returned with one of the papers in hand, going around the place to avoid getting close to Chanyeol.

"Talbot, stop being a coward." growled the sheriff. "Amelie says she will marry you, so at least try to defend yourself."

The boy had red ears but said nothing.

"How old are you, Talbot?" Chanyeol asked, trying to use her friendliest tone.

"Fourteen, sir." He replied, this time looking at him, without looking away. Potential, Chanyeol thought when he saw a spark of ambition and courage in the childish eyes. Kim was a good teacher.

"Very well. Your parents…"

"I am an orphan, but I am raised by the owner of the stables and I am Mr Kim's assistant."

Chanyeol had liked the boy.

"Let's end this conversation there, because I'm hungry and I want to go home." Minseok took out a bag of Dax coins. "Here is your reward, you miserable bastard. He cleaned my entire drawer. Come on Talbot, help me lock this place."

"Yes, sir." Talbot ran to check the cells in the corridor, which Chanyeol suspected had no one.

In a few minutes, everything was properly locked. The sheriff's protected boy said a quick wave, taking Chanyeol's horse in ecstasy. Meanwhile, the two brothers walked side by side, in leisurely strides.

"Lately, the number of bandits has grown almost as much as the number of new bounty hunters." Minseok said with a frown. "Of course, this happened after the mines in Landgruva, but it's strange. I feel that the Ville Hold budget is decreasing more and more. All of that, apart from tensions at the border."

"Did the governor of Tallet, young Paul Franco, comment on this?" Chanyeol questioned.

"Not yet. And I believe he won't even go, he is a libertine, a minority in terms of support. If there's some shit going on, he's the last one to say anything."

Chanyeol agreed with Kim, even grudgingly.

"Tallet vultures also keep an eye out.", completed. "Since my last trips to Landgruva I have realized this. For a forgotten land I think we have been paying attention. But I doubt that any aristocrat at Camp Vlower would set foot here."

"What is Camp Vlower and what have they done for us? No fucking thing." The other grunted.

Kim Minseok looked around, and indicated a small, two-story wooden building. On the porch were a few vases of withered flowers, the branches lifeless with the cruel dryness of the air.

"We got home. Lets go in." Murmured opening the door. Chanyeol could have sworn that his brother's expressions changed at that moment. This was a father coming home. "Amelie, my angel, I'm here."  
It took a few seconds for a small red-haired figure to break down the hall, in an explosion of smile, dress and ribbons, which ran into his father's arms. Minseok held the girl in her arms and laughed.

"Did you miss me that much?"

"Dad, don't ask the obvious." She scolded him with big, bright brown eyes. Gradually, she realized that her father was not alone and looked at the strange man from head to toe, suspicious. "Who's that?"

"Unfortunately, your uncle." Minseok replied.

"Uncle?" She asked out loud, more to herself. "You never told me you had a brother."

"He's just my stepbrother, we are children of the same mother." He explained to Amelie.

Chanyeol was finding the scene of the two too beautiful to be interrupted.

Amelie, however, was hard to understand how two such different people could be brothers. His father, as much as he was a sheriff and always commanded respect, had a soft look on his stern expression. His brother was already someone who could command respect just by breathing close to the person, even so, he had a common beauty and could go unnoticed by hurried eyes.

"What's your name, uncle?"

Chanyeol felt something vibrate in his chest. I didn't expect to be called that way. In fact, he hoped ... he just didn't think he was going to react emotionally.

"Park Chanyeol." he said softly, bending down to look at her at a more balanced height, he knew he was tall. The girl looked at him, without hiding a watchful eye. She had this characteristic just like her father, when she grew up, she was going to be a smart woman.

"Even surnames are not the same." she exclaimed. "I think they are deceiving me."

Chanyeol smiled, truly.

Amelie was amazed, removing everything she had thought of before, her uncle had no common beauty, looking more closely he was one of the most beautiful men she had seen. But he still preferred his Talbot.

"Good luck with it, Minseok." Chanyeol mocked.

"Why don't you do something useful and take a shower?" The brother countered. "You stink. I don't want my little girl to feel bad about her smell."

"Actually, Dad, you stink too". Amelie revealed.

"Damn."

Chanyeol smiled and stood up. I really needed to bathe. He hadn't brought a single piece of clothing with him. Usually he bought cheaper clothes in a smaller city, but this time, he could just borrow some piece from his brother. 

Or rather, two pieces. One for the night and one to go. The brother relented both, without complaining, which was an achievement. After a good bath in the wooden tub, and rubbing his skin well, Chanyeol felt refreshed.

"For dinner, I made chicken broth." Minseok announced when he sat at the table next to him and his daughter, Amelie. The dishes had already been set and were smoking. "Enjoy the special dish."

That was Chanyeol's favorite food, it brought him a taste of childhood, which, however difficult it had been, was a period that he kept in his fond memories and with great affection. He wondered if Minseok knew that. You must know, he thought. Although he was surly, the brother was very attentive. Chanyeol had missed him a lot. The two established a quiet conversation, with one or another provocation. Amelie just laughed at them and played with her father's reactions.

"After I adjust my life, I will come to see you more often.", promised Chanyeol.

"Yes, come uncle." Amelie smiled with satisfaction. "I'm sure Dad will be happy."

Chanyeol looked at his brother, but he didn't look at him when he admitted:

"It's good to see you, after all, we're brothers aren't we?"

"Now, mom would love to hear that too." Chanyeol smiled. "Amelie, when I get back I will give you the classes you asked for."

"I can't believe you asked for what I imagine you asked for, daughter."

"He's "Hand of Death", isn't he? Nothing more appropriate than that he teaches me to shoot." Amelie replied, without changing her voice. A real lady.

"But daughter, you are a delicate girl and…"

"She's right, Minseok." Chanyeol interrupted him. "I know you want to protect her and I know you will, but she needs to be prepared for any situation."

"My little baby getting in this dirt, I don't want to." Minseok insisted. "I do not accept."

"I wouldn't accept it too, if I had a daughter, but I would always prioritize her safety, besides, she doesn't need to carry a gun, just know how to handle one. Stop implying that this is not a thing for women. When Tallet violence becomes evident, it is not chosen by men or women, it just destroys anyone who sees ahead. You're a sheriff, so tell me, is your job efficient?" The other gritted his teeth, having nothing to say. "Of course not, if it were efficient, people like me would not be needed."

Amelie felt victorious, she really wanted her father to teach her how to shoot, but she always received a negative, even if she tried to explain her reasons, he didn't want to listen, that irritated her. She would be grateful for your uncle to interfere with such good arguments. His father was smoking with rage, but he clearly could not disagree with his brother.

"That's right.", he said, giving up. "But I will follow every damn class."

"I expected no less from you." Chanyeol scored.

"Now that we're talking, I think it's time for us all to go to sleep." Minseok determined. "Amelie, say goodbye to your uncle. Tomorrow, before the sun rises, it will go away, you will not see it for a while."

"So early, uncle?". The girl felt a little disappointed.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Chanyeol said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Until then, take care and take care of my brother, right?"

"Right."

Amelie reached out and hugged Chanyeol tightly. She had enjoyed spending that little bit of the day with him, an uncle who didn't even know he existed. So many years ago it was just her and her father, who had not been full and full of laughter in a long time. She hoped from the bottom of her heart that she could see him again as soon as possible. She wanted to see your dad as happy as he was that night again. 

Chanyeol felt his stomach churn, nor did he remember the last time he was hugged by a relative, probably when he left the house at the age of eighteen, leaving his mother crying leaning against his father behind. Affection and love. Family. They were precious things that Chanyeol wanted to keep away from the way he lived his life, but he was tired of avoiding that.

"Thank you." Amelie whispered when she broke off.

Minseok admired the scene in silence, but I could see in his eyes that he had been moved.

"See you later." Chanyeol said, turning away and heading towards his room, with a small, improvised patchwork mattress. When he laid his head on the pillow, he had one of the best sleeps of the month. It was the first time that nightmares had not haunted him.

➳➳➳

TALLET, November 5, 1780

As agreed, Chanyeol woke up before dawn, making sure to bring groceries for at least two days, with dry bread and water. He put his cloak over his shoulders and put on his boot. All that was left was to get the Voracious. He stepped out of the room in a short stride, tying his holster around his waist, his good old weapon being a familiar weight at his waist. When he reached the porch, he saw the door open. Minseok smoked his typical cigar in the cold night.

"You woke up really early." He said blowing the smoke between his lips. "I've already taken your horse.", indicated Voracious, tied to one of the wooden columns of the house.

"Couldn't you sleep?". Chanyeol asked.

"Not even if I wanted to." The brother replied, I didn't have a good feeling about this brother's trip. "Take care. I know you are cautious about this, but double your attention. Always stay alert, and if you need anything, send me a telegram. I will do my best to be where you are, just like old times."

"I'll be careful, Sheriff Kim." Chanyeol tied the bag of groceries close to the saddle, unhooked the horse and mounted his mount with agility, denoting the years of practice. The cold wind made his cheeks go numb. "If I need to, I call you. What was your nickname again?"

“Last breath.” Minseok responded reluctantly. "Go away at once, I can't stand your face anymore."  
Chanyeol laughed and pulled the reins, it would be a long trip, at least ten days, with few breaks. He would have to cross the entire Pourt until he reached Landgruva. But it would be worth it. It would have to be.


End file.
